CSUEB RAW building featured in architectural showcase

• August 15, 2011 5:43am

Athletic Business magazine featured the new Cal State East Bay Recreation and Wellness (RAW) center in their Architectural Showcase section. View article and photos.

The magazine described the building as “… an exciting and lively place for students to see and be seen as they exercise, socialize and relax.” The article also pointed out the building’s sustainable design.  

Featuring a two-court gymnasium, a fitness center, multipurpose rooms and support areas, the Recreation & Wellness Center offers an exciting and lively place for students to see and be seen as they exercise, socialize and relax. The RWC is located at the edge of the academic and student housing zones, effectively becoming a transitional space and a node of student activity.

The exterior envelope responds to different interior conditions and distinct views of the Bay. Simple and bold forms defined by their materials, the semi-secluded concrete box (gym) and a transparent glass jewel (fitness center) present a visual dichotomy that is further emphasized by natural light that floods the lobby between the two volumes.

In keeping with the university’s mission of sustainability, 100 percent of all storm water is treated on site. The roof plane was shaped to funnel all rainwater to a series of bioswales, where a combination of native plants and climate-appropriate species absorb the runoff before it recharges the groundwater, avoiding city storm-drain systems.

The interiors follow a “do more with less” approach, where structure becomes finish, concrete slabs and walls are exposed and passive building systems are displayed to tell a sustainable story within the largely naturally ventilated environment.

Read more about RAW's sustainability in "New RAW plaza boasts earth-friendly elements."

KL